This invention relates to a computer interface system and methods and their method of use, and, more particularly, to a computer interface system and methods for controlling automatic scrolling of information on a display or screen.
Prior Conventional Computer Mouse Devices
Computer interfaces such as mouses, track balls, light pens, etc. are devices that provide users with a way of controlling and manipulating the display of information, data, text, and images on a computer screen or monitor. Computer mouses have become a common and widely used device of present computer systems. It is well known that a mouse typically has a roller ball placed inside a hand-held housing wherein the ball rolls along a surface and the ball also rolls against directional control contacts to allow a user to move a cursor within a screen or monitor. The housing also usually has buttons on the top side for the user to activate user selection or to manipulate the display of information, data, text, images, etc. However, mouses require the use of hand or manual manipulation by the user and have the disadvantages in that they require the use of a hand in order to be controlled. The disadvantages become evident when the user is in an environment which requires the simultaneous use of hands for other purposes (i.e typing on a keyboard) or requires a hands-free environment or the user is physically challenged or handicapped as to the use of his or her hands.
Prior Eye Mouse Devices With Eye Cursor Control and Manual or Foot Activation or Selection
Eye controlled devices have been developed to control the movement of a cursor on a computer screen or display. These devices allow the user to move the cursor by moving his or her eyes, and these devices accomplish the movement of the cursor by tracking the movement of the eyes of the user. However, some of these devices still require manual or foot activation or selection to control the display of information, text, images, data, etc. An example of an eye controlled device with manual or foot activation or selection is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,315. These type of devices still have the main disadvantage in that they require the use of a user""s hand in order to be controlled. Therefore, these devices are still not well suited for users that require a hands-free environment nor are they well suited to those users who are physically challenged.
Prior Eye Mouse Devices With Eye Cursor Control and Dwell or Gaze Time Activation or Selection
Eye mouse devices have been further developed so that the movement of a cursor on a computer screen or display is controlled by the movement of the user""s eyes and, furthermore, activation or selection is accomplished by the user dwelling, gazing, or staring at a desired activation region for a pre-determined amount of time. For example, this type of device is controlled by the user moving his or her eyes to a desired area on the computer screen or display and the user stares, dwells, or gazes at an activation region for a pre-determined amount of time to activate menus or make selections or open windows, etc. Examples of eye mouse devices that have the features of an eye cursor control and dwell or gaze time activation or selection are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,670; 4,950,069; 4,973,149 and 5,345,281. This type of device allows a user to control both the movement of the cursor and the activation or selection of menus, windows, text, data, information, or images. However, in order to control the scrolling of information, data, text, or images on the display or screen with this type of device, the user will need to dwell, stare, or gaze at a scroll bar, page up or page down activation region, etc. The problem with this type of control of scrolling is that it is slow and requires the user to wait at least the pre-determined amount of time before scrolling is activated and implemented. Therefore, there is a need for and it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for controlling via the user""s eye(s) the automatic scrolling of information, data, images, text, etc. on a computer screen or display.
Prior Eye Tracking Devices (Video or Image Processing)
It is well known that video or image processing has been used to track the movement of the user""s eye(s) for the purposes of controlling the cursor on a computer display or screen. Examples of this type of video or image processing for eye tracking purposes are demonstrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,648,052; 5,331,149; 5,471,542; 4,513,317 and 5,481,622. One of the problems with the eye tracking devices for eye controlled computer devices is that normally a mechanism is required to be attached to the user in order to track the movement of the user""s eye(s). Users, however, typically prefer not to have attachments on them in order to operate a computer peripheral since these attachments are usually uncomfortable to wear or they are not aesthetically pleasing, fashionable or ergonomic.
Non-attached eye tracking devices for controlling a cursor on a display or screen have been developed. An example of such a non-attached device is seen in the prior art systems developed by LC Technologies at the World Wide Web site http://www.lctinc.com/doc/ecs.htm. However, a problem with these non-attached eye tracking devices is that they only allow or restrict the movement of the user""s head within a limited range since the hardware has to be directed or aimed within the range or vicinity of the user""s eye.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that tracks the eye of the user for allowing the control of a cursor on a display or screen and that does not restrict or limit the movement of the user""s head, when the device is not in anyway attached to the user.
Manipulation of Three Dimensional Images on a Screen or Display
It is also known that devices which track the position of the eye of a user and that use the corresponding positional signals to control three dimensional images on a computer, video game, or other apparatus exist in the prior art. These devices use eye tracking to control the three dimensional imagery and allows the user via eye movement and/or dwell time to jump levels, move to another display via selection menus and/or buttons on a display screen, move virtual objects forwards and backwards, etc. Examples of these types of devices are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,293,187; 5,422,689 and 5,491,492. However, these devices also do not in any way teach or suggest the control of automatic scrolling of a computer display or screen.
The Need for Automatic Scrolling Devices
Many applications and uses exist that require a user to be in a hands-free environment or in which the user does not have the benefit of the use of his or her hands (i.e. physically challenged, handicapped, etc.). Furthermore, scrolling of text, data, images, information, etc. on a display or screen is inherently needed for word processing, reading information (i.e. CD-ROM books), performing textual searches, viewing images, observing real time data (i.e. air traffic control, satellite weather pictures, etc.), etc. For example, users of word processing software for a computer system need to scroll the text line by line or page by page in order to read, scan, manipulate, or edit the text, data, information, etc. on the display or screen. Another example is a medical doctor who is performing medical procedure(s) or surgery and who would benefit from having a device that allows him or her to continue the medical or surgical procedure (i.e. keep his or her hands on the procedure) and can manipulate and scroll images or text (i.e. view CAT Scan, X-Ray Images, Patient Charts or Files; reference Medical Text Books; etc.) or control the field of view and magnification of an imaging device on a heads-up display or screen with the use of the doctor""s eyes. (See Lemelson and Hiett application entitled xe2x80x9cA SELECTIVELY CONTROLLABLE HEADS-UP DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING DESIRED MEDICAL INFORMATION AND/OR IMAGE(S)xe2x80x9d, Ser. No. 08/720662; Filing Date Oct. 2, 1996). Further examples are automobile mechanics that are performing work on an automobile or an electrical technician or assembly-line worker that is working on a circuit board or other product or apparatus who may need to simultaneously or briefly refer to a manual, special instructions, or other pertinent information during the performance of their work wherein this information or data can be accessed on a computer display or screen. Therefore, the need for a device for controlling the automatic scrolling of information, data, images, text, etc. on computer display or screen that allows the user to have his or her hands free to do other desired tasks, and it is an object of the present invention to provide such a device.
Notwithstanding the large number of articles and patents issued in the area of eye mouses or eye controlled interfaces for computer systems, there has been no such device that is not highly restrained, if unattached by the position of the user""s head for providing automatic control of scrolling of the information, data, or display, especially the automatic eye control of scrolling of information, data, or display. The device can be designed for the special needs of individuals that require a hands-free environment or who are physically challenged or handicapped. Such a device would be extremely useful to personnel working in the fields of medicine, assembly lines, automobile service stations, electronics assembly, or any other environments that require the performance of manual procedures and also have to simultaneously reference information data, information, images, text, etc. Presently, there is a need for a hands free eye controlled scrolling device for computer systems. There is a further need to provide an automatic scroll control device for automatically scrolling the display of information, text, data, images, etc. on a computer display or screen to provide a hands-free environment resulting in convenience and efficient access of related information to the user.
One object of this invention is a system for controlling automatic scrolling of information on a display or a screen that includes a computer system coupled to the display or the screen, an eye, head tracking, and/or speech scroll control sensor system coupled to the computer system for tracking and determining a gaze direction of the eye of a user relative to the display or the screen, and a gimbaled sensor system coupled to an interface card attached to a computer system for implementing automatic scrolling based upon the gaze direction of the eye of the user relative to an activation area on the display or the screen.
Another object of this invention is the gimbaled sensor system having an eye tracking system for tracking the eye of the user and an eye gaze direction determining system for determining the gaze direction of the eye of the user relative to the display or the screen.
Another object of this invention is that the gimbaled sensor system is coupled to a computer system for tracking and determining the position of the eye of a user and a position of the head of the user relative to the display or the screen.
A further object of this invention is the gimbaled sensor system having a camera or photo sensor for providing images of the head and the eye of the user, a zoom lens coupled to the camera or photo sensor for focusing the camera or photo sensor at the user, and optics coupled to the camera or photo sensor for aiding the camera or photo sensor in detecting or providing images of the head and the eye of the user so that the images can be processed by the computer system.
Another object of the invention is to allow the control of information on a display or a screen by a user that includes the steps of finding a gaze direction on the display or the screen of the user, determining the screen or display coordinates of which the user is focused on and whether the coordinates are within at least one control region, and thereby activating scrolling to provide a desired display of information when the screen gaze direction is within the at least one activated control region.
Another object of this invention is that the step of finding a gaze screen coordinate on the display or the screen surface further includes the steps of detecting a user that is closest to the display or the screen, focusing and magnifying a field of view of a camera on an eye of the user to provide a magnified image of the eye, and reading the magnified image into a computer system, determining physical coordinates of a center of a cornea of the eye and a glint (projected by a light source from gimbaled sensor system) center of the eye, determining a vector between the center of the cornea and a glint center on the sensor image, calculating screen gaze coordinates of the user, and sending the screen gaze coordinates to the computer system for processing by an application program for controlling the scrolling or selection of information on the display or the screen.
Another object of this invention is that the step of focusing and magnifying a field of view of a camera on an eye of the user further includes the steps of determining a correction vector for re-centering the camera to adjust the field of view and zooming the field of view of the camera onto the center of an eye of the user.
A still further object of this invention is that the step of determining whether the screen gaze coordinates is within at least one activated control region further includes the steps of determining whether the screen gaze coordinates is within an upper horizontal rectangular region, a lower horizontal rectangular region, a right vertical rectangular region, a left vertical rectangular region, or within an overlapping area of two regions, and scrolling the information respectively downwards, upwards, leftwards, rightwards, or in the corresponding two directions, depending on the screen gaze coordinates and scrolling the information at a rate defined by the screen gaze coordinates.
Another object of this invention is that the step of determining whether the screen gaze coordinates is within at least one activated control region further includes the steps of determining whether the screen gaze coordinates is within a static region defined by at least one of a number of concentric circles, determining whether the gaze direction is within an activated control region defined by another of the number of concentric circles, and activating scrolling to provide a desired display of information so that the region at which the screen gaze coordinates of the user is directed is moved to a center of the display or the screen at a rate that is defined for the concentric circle at which the screen gaze coordinates of the user is directed.
A still further object of this invention is that the step of determining whether the screen gaze coordinates is within an activated control region defined by another of the number of concentric circles further includes the steps of calculating a radius and an angle with respect to a center of the number of concentric circles to define a screen gaze vector, calculating horizontal and vertical scroll rates based on the gaze vector, and scrolling the information on the display or the screen in the horizontal and the vertical directions based on the calculated horizontal and vertical scroll rates.
A further object of this invention is that the step of determining whether the screen gaze coordinate is within an activated control region defined by another of the number of concentric circles further includes the steps of determining whether the gaze direction is within an activated control quadrant wherein the information on the display or the screen is moved downward and leftward; or upward and leftward; or upward and rightward; or downward and rightward.
A further object of this invention is a method of making a system for controlling automatic scrolling of information on a display or a screen that includes the steps of providing a computer system coupled to the display or the screen, coupling a gimbaled sensor system to a computer system for tracking and determining the eye gaze direction of a user relative to the display or the screen, and coupling a scroll activating interface system to the computer system and interfacing the scroll activating interface system with the gimbaled sensor system for implementing automatic scrolling based upon the calculated screen gaze coordinates of the eye of the user relative to an activation area on the display or the screen.
A further object of this invention is the step of coupling an eye scroll control sensor further includes the step of coupling an eye and head scroll control sensor to the computer system for tracking and determining the position of the head of the user relative to the display or the screen.
A further object of this invention is that the step of coupling a gimbaled sensor system further includes the step of coupling a head sensor to the computer system for tracking the position of the head of the user relative to the display or the screen.
A further object of this invention is to provide a system for controlling the automatic scrolling of information on a display or a screen that allows the user to be able to freely use his or her hands to perform other tasks, procedures, work, etc.
Another object of this invention is to provide a system for controlling the automatic scrolling of information on a display or a screen that tracks the user""s eye, allows the user to be free from any attachments while the system is eye tracking, and that still allows the user to freely move his or her head when the system is in use. A further object of this invention is to provide a system for controlling the automatic scrolling of information on a display or a screen that can be used in various and a wide range of applications such as for medical personnel, technicians, assembly line workers, weather persons, air traffic controllers, etc.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become evident in light of the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the referenced drawings of a preferred exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.